Dec 22 Get Your Sh*t Straight

We hear of Eastern cultures squatting low over holes to do their duty, often proclaiming them primitive from lofty porcelain thrones. However, based on several studies over the years, it seems the West is really number two when it comes to number two.

Experts have argued that digestive illnesses like colitis, constipation, and hemorrhoids stem from all the sitting and straining people do on the toilet. Studies have shown, for example, that the more time you spend in the bathroom, specifically reading, the more likely you are to develop hemorrhoids, or swollen blood vessels in and around the anus. Some doctors even recommend patients try squatting to deal with their colon issues.

Squatting toilets are used throughout the world today. In Asia, public restrooms might offer two stalls with Western porcelain flush toilets, and two stalls with squat toilets in which the user plants their feet over an opening in the floor and squats. "Turkish" toilets can be found elsewhere, including Japan, Russia, and France."

Before you rip off the seat and start perching on the bowl, note that even elevating the feet off the floor (stool, box, etc.) can help improve gastrointestinal alignment, helping the body to do doo-doo.